A third of children under-10 own mobile phones

The survey questioned 2,000 families about what technology they and their family possessed. 1 in 10 parents feeling that it is “appropriate for children as young as four years old” to have access to mobile phone services.

The growing reach of smartphones was also confirmed, with 10% children under the age of ten already possessing an iPhone or a similar internet capable handset.

According to the BBC, most parents believe that 10 was a suitable age for children to have their own phone, with the majority (69%) saying they allowed their child to have a mobile phone to keep in touch with them when they are out.

In terms of secure internet usage, just under half (49%) said they blocked access to certain sites, while the remainder admitted they do not controls their child’s access to the web. This comes at a time when the government is considering mandatory internet filters for children, with the Bailey review due in 2015.

Social networking habits were also covered. Almost one in ten children of primary school age had a social networking account. Alarmingly the age at which children are eligible to have a Facebook or MySpace account is thirteen. A quarter of parents added that their child had an active email account.

However the survey did shed some positive light on computer literacy with a large percentage of under 10s able to makes calls, while one in five can competently text, one in twenty can draft and send an email and 10 per cent can easily go online. More than a quarter of youngsters can take photos or videos and play on applications.

If you require more guidance on how children use technology then you can visit, The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) website thinkuknow.